1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a versatile container but more particularly to a versatile container having a removable top lid. The versatile container comprises a sleeve; at least one compartment housed within said sleeve, the compartment having walls for containing liquid or gas, and wherein said compartment are removable from the tank upon removal of said top lid. The sleeve can be sealed or not and has as its particularity that it can be extremely versatile and can have changeable compartments with heating means or not. The sleeve can be adapted to any existing or future compartments of any size or model, with or without heating means, and has the possibility of having one or many individual compartments being exchangeable upon rusting/piercing/breakage, instead of changing the complete container. The sleeve can also hold the entire contents of the at least one compartment, if it pierces. The sleeve can also possess a diversified array of sensors (example: water, fire, electricity, etc.) and a computer capable of cutting all energy sources, liquid, solids, gas or other, when, for example, the container leaks. There can also be a valve to empty the contents of the sleeve or the container when there is a leak. The computer will let you know of the problem via Internet, telephone, insurance company, police, medical, fire and will shut off the liquid or gas until help arrives. The container according to the present invention can also have a plurality of interconnecting compartments which progressively warm up the liquid or gas by way of interconnecting pipes. But this concept could be applied to many other things, such as any type of liquid or gas contained from leaking, like a double-walled pipeline or even a tank or container in or above ground, lakes or river and ocean. The reverse can also be said for the same concept, for example it can also stop the infiltration of gas, liquid or any contaminant from entering inside. Another example of this concept would be double hull boats or even submarines or tanker trucks that upon rupturing a first hull of the boat, submarine and so forth, the inner hull will not be breached and allow anything to enter.
2. Background
Hot water tanks have not evolved much in many years. Whether they are gas, oil or electric, they are basically large reservoirs containing water and means for warming water. In the case of electric water tanks, a lower and an upper element alternate to keep the water evenly warm. An emergency vent on top handles high pressure while a drain at the bottom is used when emptying the tank.
Over the years, a variety of accessories have been developed to complement the features of a hot water tank such as timers to start and stop water heating as an energy saving feature and humidity alarms to detect water leaks and shut off water intake to the tank.
However, there are many improvements to be brought to the hot water tanks which already exist in order to palliate certain inefficiencies with these existing water tanks and therefore, there is a need for an improved hot water tank.